Topic > The settings and associated imagery in The Great Gatsby

The settings of The Great Gatsby, and the way they are illustrated by F. Scott Fitzgerald's use of imagery, are the underlying elements in the formation of the characters and the overall development of the novel's plot, and they work to challenge or consolidate my understanding of the values ​​presented in the text. These values ​​are hope, class separation and wealth and are at the forefront of the novel. The novel is to some extent anecdotal and is based on Fitzgerald's life experiences and captures the notions of the self-made man (Gatsby) and the lifestyle of Americans during the 1920s - a time of immense prosperity and industrial production - creating "Captains of Industry". ' at the height of capitalism in America. The Great Gatsby is the story of two rich men, one who has the girl, and the other who wants her very much and does everything he can to win her back. Fitzgerald uses the Valley of Ashes, along with East and West Egg to portray three separate worlds and how their ideals differ. From the wealth of the East Egg, to the barren and desolate Valley of Ashes, to the chaos of Manhattan's business center, the settings and associated images in the novel explore all aspects of life in America during the Roaring Twenties. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The settings of West Egg and East Egg and the discrepancies between these two settings establish a physical distance between Gatsby and Daisy. West Egg, "the less hip of the two," is separated from East Egg by Manhasset Bay. Meanwhile, the East Egg is depicted as a place that is home to “the white palaces.” However, Gatsby still decided to settle on West Egg, directly across the street from Daisy's house. However, this can also be interpreted as Gatsby's inability to move from a poverty class to a wealth class (yet he did not become rich enough) despite his possessions, so this physical distance between the two also serves as a metaphor between the distance across social class. Throughout the novel, Gatsby retains the hope of becoming immensely rich and making his dreams come true. Nick watches Gatsby as he “curiously extends his arms toward the dark water,” toward the green light that is “tiny” and “distant.” This represents the fact that despite Gatsby's hope of being with Daisy again, and his efforts to make himself as attractive a figure as possible, he is so close, yet so far away. It can also be interpreted as foreshadowing as towards the end of the novel he gains some momentum with Daisy, but ends up being killed. As a result, my understanding of the value of hope was further strengthened as a positive state of mind based on the expectation of positive outcomes. One of the most important themes and values ​​in the novel is class separation and our aspiration to be higher class. Class separation in The Great Gatsby is represented through the characters of Nick, Gatsby, Tom and Daisy Buchannan, and George and Myrtle Wilson, along with their associated homes and areas. Although Nick and Gatsby are separated by wealth, they are not so separated by class, despite the setting of the two houses close together: Gatsby's house is described by Nick as "a colossal affair" and "a factual imitation of some hotels ". de Ville in Normandy”, while Nick's house is depicted as a small overgrown house, “crushed” by Gatsby's house and another neighbor – and for this reason Tom never accepts Gatsby and questions his wealth and who he is throughout the novel. However, Myrtle and George live in their auto repair shop in the "Valley of Ashes", on the outskirts of New York,.